Boyfriend Scenarios-Jeff the Killer
by Neighborhood Skittle
Summary: Meeting the white-faced killer was the most bizarre thing that's ever happened to you, yet you quickly grow fond of his attitude and constant cross demeanor. But as you both grow closer to each other, you soon realize that there is more to him than his homicidal giddiness and practiced bladesmanship, and that they are many things hidden deep beneath that permanent smile.
1. First Encounter

**Hello! Welcome to the first of the scenario short stories ^^ I thoroughly enjoy these and decided to make one myself :3 Please tell me what you lovely people think of the take of the classic "you-in-the-story" approach and this story as a whole. It's my first! I'm sorry if it's lacking! XD**

**But all in practice, yes? :D Happy reading~**

* * *

There are many days you wake up to find yourself questioning if you're really supposed to exist. All you've ever wanted was to feel accepted, not ogled at constantly as if you were a museum display. There was a time when you were proud of your looks, a time when you were only 3 feet tall and full of spunk, and every kid in kindergarten would stare at you in awe, wondering just who exactly the albino girl was.

But those days have long passed.

The children who once admired your long platinum blonde hair and snowy eyes now gawked at you obnoxiously, making obscene gestures as you walked by. Called you a freak of nature. A ghost. A mistake on God's part. Incomplete. Unfinished. _Useless_. And your previously high self-esteem gradually crumbled into nothing but dust.

Your father thought it would be a good idea to move you and himself to another distant town due to the cheating fiasco your mother stirred. The two of you left the busy city life for the quiet small town a few hours away from your home after your sixteenth birthday. You had hoped that the change in scenery would help, but was sorely disappointed to find that the kids in your new high-school were just as rotten as the ones you left, if not worse. It left a bitter taste in your mouth.

However, today was different from the moment you got out of bed.

It was the last class period of the day, listening to the middle-aged man up front drawl on about Southeast Asia. History was always your favorite class, and you consistently took notes from the words on the slide show.

You hear a soft _pfft_ somewhere in the lecture hall and felt a hard jab in the back of your head shortly after. Your pen froze. Your body went rigid at the sound of muffled snickering. You resisted the urge to turn and glare daggers at the boys behind you, setting you jaw in the familiar irritated clench. You returned to your studies.

_Pfft!_

Another one smacked your earlobe right above the tender spot on your new piercing. You wince in pain and lightly rub the silver bar. These boys had better stop their jerking around. _**Now**_.

Your teacher suddenly raises a question to the class. Just as you are about to raise your hand, another spit ball nicks the back of your exposed neck. You slam your hand back down on the desk and whirl around in your seat, giving your signature death glare to the boys who were desperately trying to smother their laughter.

"Will you dicks knock it off?! This isn't kindergarten anymore!" you yell.

The teacher does a double take and walks to your desk, raising his voice as he does. "What was that outburst just now miss Lucille?"

You point defensively at the classmates behind you, who now used their typical façade of innocence. "These guys were throwing spit balls at me."

"We didn't do anything to her," one boy said. "Nobody wants her, much less touch her with stuff." This earned a snicker among the class.

"Yeah? Then explain these then!" You hold all three spit balls in the air with a bright, defiant look in your eyes. You were in the right and they knew it. You felt it deep in your gut. Justice would be served; there was no way they were getting away with this.

Unfortunately, your teacher shared none of your zeal and simply stared back at you with an odd look on his pocketed face. "And what does this prove? You have a history of poor conduct, so I'm sure you can understand why I'm not inclined to believe you claim."

Your face instantly grew dark with anger. "Are you serious right now?!" you scoffed. The evidence was right there is his face! You're practically giving it to him as a present!

"I gotta side with ole' teach on this one. I mean, she probably just chewed the paper herself," a boy muttered.

"I agree. Disgusting little thing isn't she?" you heard a girl whisper.

"She's freakin' paper herself. You think she starves herself to the point where she can only eat paper now?" another girl whispered.

"Ew. Cannibal."

The class was swept with a wave of laughter and teasing as you stood there with your arm still raised. You look to the balding man with a look of sincere pleading.

"Please...I-I'm telling the truth..."

The teacher did nothing but grunt and slip you a piece of all too familiar pink paper and bold letters. You let your arm fall to your side, staring hard at your boots as hot, angry tears threatened to spill. This was the third time this week. You didn't allow yourself to be an emotional girl, but the anger that scorched your chest burned with the intensity to make your shoulders shake and your fists to tighten. You wanted a way to release it and not just bottle it up like you've done for so long. You _needed_ it.

The bell rang, snapping you back to the spot behind your desk. As you haphazardly stuffed your belongings in your bag, the boys behind you knocked into your already fragile frame while they walked past, joking around with each other as if you didn't exist. You sent another signature death glare at their backs, reminding yourself that one day, they will get what's coming.

* * *

You leave the detention hall in a hurry with your ear buds in, eager to leave the dark building as soon as possible. Your dad texted you that he wouldn't be home for the weekend, which you promptly rolled your eyes at and stuffed your phone in your pocket. You knew he would be staying with girlfriend #4's house no matter how many times he tried to convince you otherwise. He always came back home well into the night reeking of sex and cigarette smoke. Disgusting pig of a man, you thought. You barely notice how dark it had gotten as you turned the corner to your house. All you want now is a long, hot shower and a good night's sleep, grateful it was a Friday. You make it a few steps on the sidewalk when you notice a large, bulky silhouette further down the street.

_Shit_.

You knew who they were, and they knew you.

Trying to avoid being noticed, you start to walk faster down the street. You instantly recognize the smell of marijuana and the guttural grunts of teenage boys and the high-pitched laughter of teenage girls, all huddled underneath the shade of a tree. One of them noticed the white shadow clad in black by the fence. They called out to you.

Your stomach drops between your feet and you break into a full sprint down the road.

You didn't bother to look behind you as you dashed into a nearby alleyway, remembering the shortcut to your apartment. You may be small, but you were the fastest thing on two legs in this town. You felt a slight wash of relief as you neared the spiked gate you practiced jumping over for when this happened. You remained calm and confident.

You stopped dead in your tracks as the three boys from earlier came into view, blocking your path. You had a feeling it would come to this one day, so you made sure to prepare for the worst.

Your hand automatically unsheathed the pocket knife clasped to the hilt of your belt and back away from them. They tried to rush you and you set off again, only to stop when a group of about five to six stood their ground. A tiny pinprick of fear ebbed at your mind. You were soon cornered like a rat against a garage door. The autumn chill seeped through your jacket.

Gathering all the courage you could find, you glared boldly at each of them, careful not to show them any weakness. A girl approached you with a smirk on her small face and jutted her chin at your weapon.

"Whatcha gonna do with that little thing?" she teased.

"Get any closer and I'll give you an inside look," you say, pointing the blade in her direction. Two boys rush you and attempt to grab your arms. You quickly turn and cut one of them on the shoulder, but the other wormed his way behind you and pinned both arms behind your back at a painful angle. You open your mouth to protest and the girl smacks you hard across the face.

"Keep your mouth closed. You're in enough trouble as it is, right?" She plucks the weapon from your hand and tilts up your chin with the edge of the blade. "I heard you tried getting my boyfriend in trouble today. Not a smart move at all dear. A bad girl like you needs ample punishment." You snatch your face away from her, not caring about the fresh new cut under your jaw. The girl giggles and walks away, twirling your knife in her hands as a familiar face takes her place. Your eyes widen slightly in fear as he cracks his knuckles.

"I'll just be adding some color to your scrawny ass. Maybe now you'll keep your fucking mouth shut."

The boy delivered a hard punch to your stomach and then to your jaw. You yelped in pain and hissed, tasting the blood pooling in your mouth. He continued to hit and kick you until he began to pant. You couldn't stand up straight any longer, relying on the boy behind you to hold you up. The girls took their turns ripping your clothes and burning pieces of your hair. They raided your book bag and took your electronics, including your cherished iPod. This drew your attention.

"N-no! D-don't lay your-ngh...fucking hands on that...It's mine you fuckers!" you cry. It was the one thing that kept you sane in that building, the one retreat from your hell. They paid you no mind. You helplessly watched them as they tore your ear buds and smashed your iPod to bits of plastic and computer chips. You began to weep silently. This was too much. They'd gone too far.

The boy held your face in his hand, drawing back a fist aimed straight for your eyes.

"Think of us doing you a huge favor. Now all the emo kids will want to fuck you. They're the only ones who'll do a freak anyway!" he laughed.

A spark of rage fluttered through your chest and, without thinking, you spat blood in his face and growled, standing yourself up straight despite the excruciating pain in your abdomen.

"I don't need any favors from you, asshole."

The boy swore and swung his fist. You braced for impact.

You felt nothing but warm liquid splatter across your face.

A chorus of shrieks and gasps echoes around you. You opened your eyes and jerked backwards, nearly screaming yourself. A large knife had somehow lodged itself in the boy's head, his eyes rolled back into his shattered skull and mouth hanging open. You notice the tip of it poked a few inches through his forehead. With a few short gurgles, he dropped to the ground with a heavy thud, blood pooling from the back of his head. You stared at the body wide-eyed. The boy behind you dropped you on the ground and you land squarely on your behind, but you barely notice, still staring at the boy who just died. The girls kept shrieking in terror before a deep, resonate voice rang out in the alley.

"Shut the hell up ya dumb bitch. You're way too noisy," someone said.

You watched as the teenagers who were once beating you senseless now turned into nothing but lifeless corpses, all of them slashed and stabbed by a figure too fast to be considered human. It darted between them like a ping-pong ball, landing one-shots with each pause in its fluid movements. Bodies fell one after another, leaking blood from their slashed necks, leaving you and the girl who slapped you cowering beside her dead boyfriend. A hooded figure leaned down and yanked the knife from his head, bits of his skull and brain matter sliding off and landing with audible _plops!_

From what you could tell, it looked male from behind. He stared at the teary-eyed girl for a moment in silence before giggling softly to himself. She screamed and scooted away from him in a panic, babbling pleas to spare her. He bent down to her eye level and pressed the knife against her throat. He slowly dragged the blade across her skin, earning screams and bursts of crying as he neatly cut through an artery. Above her wailing voice, you could hear him whisper as he watched the girl feebly claw at her throat.

"Go to sleep..."

"...and never wake up," you said softly.

You felt eyes on you and looked up, almost jumping out of your skin when you saw whose face they belonged to. But strangely, you felt no fear whatsoever. An eerie calm took its place. You took in the broad shoulders and the thin black hair than framed his bleached face. There was an intense red smile that was a little disturbing, but reminded you of the Joker from your favorite Batman movies. It was almost as if he had a son. The thought made you smile a little and the boy's grin grew, yet you caught a glimpse of something in his charcoal-rimmed eyes.

Like sadness, almost.

He held his hand out to you and you took it without hesitation. You try to stand on your own stumble, your entire body weak and trembling from the beating. The boy lends you support with his chest and arms, holding you firmly as you peered up at him. After a moment of silence, he backs away and casually hands you a knife from his pocket. Confused, you took it from his blood-stained hands.

"Yknow, that chick had a point. Your teeny knife won't do shit. Use this," he said, turning away from you. You grip the handle and managed to find your voice, though raspy from your earlier screaming.

"Thank you...um...what's your name?"

"You better take care of that one. They don't make high quality blades like those anymore." The boy stuck his hands in the pocket of his white hoody and continued walking away, as if murdering people was the most normal thing in the world for him. You stare down at the blade and run your finger along its blunt edge. On the far right, you noticed cursive writing etched in sliver on the hilt.

_Jeff...?_

When you look up, he was nowhere to be found.


	2. We Meet Again

**Ready for round two? :D "SEEEGAAA"**

**God *shiver* really wish I didn't see that last night. Words of the wise: don't have your volume up on full blast while playing . You will cry.**

**But here's round two of the interactions between you lovely people and this freaky nut!**

**Happy reading~**

* * *

You sit in the far corner of the library, grazing the handle of Jeff's knife with your thumb as you read. Several days passed since you last saw the teenager clad in that red-stained hoodie. You often thought of him during the day, idly wondering where he was or what he might be up to. The more you envisioned his face, the less bizarre-looking he was to you. For some reason you couldn't explain, Jeff was the only thing you could think of, even during your favorite history class.

The feathery chime of the school bell let you know after school hours had ended. You close your book and walk up to the librarian, a stout, portly woman with a kind face and a frizzy silver bun atop her head. You honestly adored the woman as if she were your grandmother. She focused on you through her thick lenses and gave you a warm smile.

"Another how-to book I see. What's the latest project dear?" she asked, whisking your book away and running it under the scanner.

"I'm trying out a scarf this time," you answer, handing her your library card. The woman's smile broadened.

"They say it'll be a rough one this year. You'll need it," she chuckled. After giving you your book and the receipt, she frowns suddenly. You blink, puzzled.

"Mrs. Grace?"

"Will you and your father be alright this season?"

You smile with a bitter aftertaste. You knew her worry was genuine; it was the questions that irritate you. "Ofcourse. We'll be fine, just like any other year," you say.

This seems to satisfy her. "Alright dear. Remember, you're always welcome at my house. Coffee will be excited to you again."

"Sure, I'll come by and visit. See you," you chime in reply, walking out the door.

You close the door to your locker with a sigh, shrugging on your jacket. The tears in the fabrics bring back the memory of what happened in the alley, and you smile to yourself. Other students stare at you as you walk by, some of them whispering to each other in clumps. No one has had the guts to mess with you the day after the murders, and multiple rumors flew around, saying that it was you who did something to them. You've been approached several times by angry parents and exhausted priests trying to calm them down. They had no proof and they knew you knew it. Even the police had nothing to go on.

It's as if they all disappeared. And that was fine with you.

You pat the handle of the knife under your belt. It was a nice blade and was easy to carry without suspicion. It even helped reassure you when things got heated at school. You often found yourself rubbing over the inscription when you felt tense, and just the knowledge of having the knife gave you a confidence you never felt before. It felt as though the boy was watching over you like a guardian angel.

On the last block towards your house, it looked particularly foggy. You pay it no mind and continue your stride in ease, ready to turn the corner to your house on the end.

That's when you notice a dark, shadowy figure hunched over in the corner of your eye.

You pause, feeling a strange wave of familiarity to it, and listen intently. You hear broken breathing as if it were hard to draw air, and a light strain of swearing under their breath. Your body moves on its own.

You know that voice.

_His_ voice.

When you're about halfway across the street he stops suddenly and turns around to face you. You freeze mid-step and watch him, now at a loss for words. His eyes easily find yours and he steps back.

"You..." he breathes.

You step forward slowly, your hands out in the open so he can see them. "Hey again," you say in a light voice.

Jeff moves away again, looking a bit wary of you as you approach. You bite your lower lip as you make out his face. It _was_ him. Jeff seems to relax a little as you smile at him unconsciously.

"You should know by now it's not a good idea to be near me. Something you want girl?" he asks, trying to mask the exhaustion in his voice with a steely gaze.

You come to a stop a little ways away from him and look him over with a calculative eye. "Never mind me. Are you okay?"

Jeff scowls; you saw right through him. "I'm fine," he says.

You firmly shake your head and edge closer in concern. He looks awfully thin for someone his age, and he's out of breath. Was he running? Before you could open your mouth to ask, Jeff stumbles into you, resting his bodyweight on you. You stumble backwards a little and hold him by his shoulders, worry rising in your voice. "Jeff?"

"N-no…I'm fine…" he mutters through clenched teeth, failing to stand himself back up.

It was clear that he wasn't. "C'mon. You need to rest," you say, hoisting his arm over your shoulders. Jeff doesn't respond or make a fuss as you both continue back to your house.

You managed to get him upstairs to your room and on your bed, disturbing your protesting mouse in a series of squeaks. You quickly buzz around your house looking for things you think might help. When you come back upstairs, Jeff's irregular breathing started back up again. You rush to check his forehead and pat the sweat from his face with a towel while checking his temperature. You slip off his hoodie in your effort to cool him down and blush fiercely.

"This guy doesn't wear shirts under this thing?!" you squeal. You shake your head and throw it in the laundry basket, deciding to take care of it later. For the rest of the night, you fret obsessively over treating him.

Once he's fallen asleep, you pull up a stool and your knitting basket by his head. You touch his forehead with the back of your hand and sigh in relief. The fever had finally gone down. You watch his sleeping face for a moment and gently touch his cheek, your fingertips resting on the slits in his face. His skin felt leathery as if it was burned, and there were patches of discoloration along his hairline. You continue to stroke his face as you look at him sadly.

"What happened to you…?" you whisper.

As if hearing you, Jeff's eyes open slightly and focus on your face. Your breath hitches and you stare back. He blinks and leans into your touch, his eyes closing again as he adjusts himself. Sure enough, Jeff had fallen asleep again, laying his head in the palm of your hand. You smile and slip you hand from under his hair.

"Rest well Jeff," you whisper to yourself, picking up your knitting needles and focusing on the book beside you.

* * *

Sunlight poured through your window and bird twittered sweetly outside, rousing you from your sleep. You jump up and look around, yesterday's events rushing into your brain all at once. Jeff wasn't in your bed anymore.

"Jeff? Heloooooo?" you call throughout your house. You get no answer.

You feel something stuck in your hair and you reach to pull it. In your hand is a note with messy but legible handwriting.

"_I'm fine now, so I'm leaving._

_See you around snowflake."_

_ -Jeff_


	3. Free Time

**And we're back! **

**If any of you lovely people have instances you would like to see in the future, inbox me about em! Let's make this more fun for everyone, yes? I'm sorry this chapter took longer than I expected. I got really sick this week |D I hope you enjoy this one! It was really fun to write!**

**Anyway, enough of my yammering XD Happy reading~**

* * *

"Fwa! I'm so sleepy!"

You collapsed into your bed with a huge smile on your face. Winter break had arrived with the promise of snow, and you couldn't be more pleased. Two full weeks away from school and all the time to yourself. And to top it all off, your birthday loomed close by. Rolling over in your bed, you hug your favorite over-sized stuffed polar bear close to your chest and lay still for a few minutes, breathing in the scent of cotton and fresh linen. You were grateful for the utter peace you felt; the aches and pains that stung your doll-like frame were no longer there. The bruises and welts healed up nicely. Even the scar under your jaw became nothing more than a thin, slightly discolored line that curved gracefully along the bone. The only reminders of that night ever happening were the sharp gleaming blade and your short bob of messy hair. The winter chill hung aimlessly around your bedroom as you begin to drift off into a light slumber. Before you consciousness faded, it uttered a final fragment of thought.

"...where are you Jeff..."

Your eyes opened somewhat.

That's right.

You hadn't seen the teenager since you nursed him back to health on this very bed. Sometimes you would catch a glimpse of the signature white hood, and the brightest glimmer would brighten your icy irises. Yet the moment you focus your eyes on it, your building euphoria stands still and crumbles. There were also times when you would spot a very strange sight on the edge of the forest. A very, very tall mannequin wearing a black suit and tie was hoisted directly on the walkway towards the forest behind the school building. Whoever owned a suit shop tailored for insanely tall people definitely knew how to advertise. You've never met anyone that tall before, but this was a small town. Strange things were bound to happen.

You feel your pet mouse sniff around your eyelids and you smile a bit, reaching up to scratch his head with your finger. He squeaked in surprise and nudged his head against your fingertip.

"Hi buddy," you murmur half asleep.

The mouse ran his ears under your fingers and scurried away from you. Deciding you would sleep well this time, you roll onto your back with your polar bear and allow drowsiness to pull you under.

You feel a pulsating heat inches above your face. You hear a light panting noise as if there were a dog in your ear. Confused, your eyes open.

You had absolutely no idea what you were looking at. An inhumanly large row of grimy sharp teeth bombarded your field of vision, pieces of flesh stuck in between the gaps. The panting noise grew louder and you shift and suddenly freeze. A pair of beady eyes locked onto yours and an impossibly low growl echoed in your room. A thick, matted veil of black hair fell over its face and back, and you could see a pair of pointed ears sticking up straight from underneath. It looked like a horribly disfigured dog. And that smile reminded you of the man who saved you a month before. You blink.

"What the...how'd you get in here?"

The dog stood up on all fours and your body prickled with needles. It was huge. A huge, bloodied animal with a demonic-looking grin had somehow wandered its way into your room.

To say that you were scared shitless was an understatement.

Unable to tear your eyes away from that horrific smile, you sit there scanning your brain for anything useful in this situation. The dog seemed to be at ease as it stared back at you, wagging its bushy tail. You decide to chance it and offer it something to play with.

"Uh...heya big guy! You wanna play?"

The dog's mood instantly changed to the slap-happy giddiness of a puppy. It jumped on its two front feet and stuck its rear in the air, waving its tail like a militant flag. It yipped a few times and bounced around on the floor, drawing a giggle from you. Looking down at your polar bear, you decided you could patch him up later. You wave the toy around a bit and watch the dog track it with its eyes, its whole body stopping in a focused pounce buildup. You took this chance to get out of bed and cross over to an open space in the middle of your room.

"C'mon buddy! C'mon!" you call. Your voice was surprisingly light and delicate.

The dog barked and charged after you. It took a meaty bite of your polar bear and started to tug on it, growling playfully as it shook the doll around mercilessly. You laughter chimes over the grunts of the animal as you both play tug of war. How strange. You saw no collar around its neck, yet it behaved exactly like a household pet. It took no time at all for it to accept you as part of its pack. It was almost as if the dog came here already knowing your scent. No menace. No fear. Just jubilant playfulness. It instantly put you at ease.

The dog made an especially hard tug on the bear and you hear a loud riiiip! You loose your footing and slip onto your side on the carpet. The dog stopped playing and watched you, the torn bear hanging out of its mouth. You sit yourself up and rub your side with a groan with a smile on your face.

"Well that was fun, eh?" you said, directing your grin at the animal.

The dog dipped its head and walked over to you, ears flattened on its head. It made an apologetic whine and dropped your bear covered in dirty saliva in front of you, plopping down on the carpet beside you. You watch the dog carefully and reach out to pet it.

"Hey, it's okay. I can fix it no problem," you said, slowly patting the top of its head. The dog whimpered and rested its head on your lap as if to say "I'm sorry".

You smile and rub a spot behind its ears, earning you a pleased rumbling and a fidgety leg tapping. Before you knew it, you were giving the dog a full belly rub and enjoying every minute of it. The dog wormed away from your hands and tackled you, licking your face. You squealed like a little girl as you tried to push the dog off of you, but good lord was it heavy.

The dog seemed to thoroughly enjoy this and it became even more excited. It pushed some of its body weight on you and watched your face. The more you giggled, the more the dog played with you in this way, until a familiar voice demanded both of your attention.

"Smile!"

The dog stopped and swiveled its head towards the door. You couldn't see anything past the massive ball of fur, but you knew who it was.

"What the hell are you doing furball?"

Smile gave a hearty woof and its tail perked up again. You heard footsteps come closer to you.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to leave the house without telling me? I swear you're such a-"

Smile barked again and rose to its feet, leaving you exposed for you-know-who to see.

You clear your face of the dog's saliva and look up to where the it stood. Next to it was a bewildered Jeff the Killer.

You sit up and stretch your arms over your head, trying your best to act as nonchalant as possible despite the abrupt thudding going on in your chest. You certainly hadn't expected to see him today, especially not covered in dog spit. You turn your gaze to him and beam a smile.

"About time you came back. I started to think you weren't going to come back."

Jeff blinked wildly and averted his gaze to the wall. A faint pink hue started to rise in his cheeks. "Did Smile do that?"

"Huh? Do what?"

Jeff grimaced as his face turned red and pointed at your shirt. You suddenly feel a draft across your stomach.

Your shirt was crudely torn in half, leaving your bra in plain sight.

You make a high pitched squeal and stand up suddenly, covering your chest with your arms. Jeff flinched at the noise and eyed you warily as you reached for the alarm clock on your bedstand. Even Smile looked nervous.

Jeff backed away when your arm hoisted the clock high in the air. "U-uh? What are you-"

"GET OUT!"

You chuck the alarm clock straight into Jeff's face. The boy sputtered and fell over Smile's large body crouched behind his feet. He hit the floor without an inch of grace and scrambled wildly for the door. You continue to pelt him with various objects from your room in your embarrassment until he finally managed to get on his feet and out the door. Frazzled and somewhat dazed, you head to the bathroom with a new set of clothes, fighting the trembling feeling your body made.

* * *

"...Jeff? You still out here?"

You creak the door open a bit more and poke your head through it. It was quiet in the hallway. You timidly step out of your room.

"Jeff? Smile?"

"...over here."

You look down and see the boy and his dog huddled in a corner reading a book you probably threw at him. A pang of guilt hit your stomach as you smile apologetically. Jeff remained silent and glanced at you without a trace of emotion, however Smile bounced up from his seat and greeted you with a happy bark. You grin at the devilish canine and gently pet his head, careful not to repeat the tackling expo all over again. Jeff turned his attention back to the book and paid you no mind when you walked over to sit next to him. You peek at the book title and raise your brow cutely.

"My Edgar Allan Poe collection? ...did I throw this one at you too?"

Jeff's face was calm as he turned the page. "Clocked me right in the shoulder with it. It's gonna leave a bruise."

You instantly frown and draw your knees up to your chest. "S-sorry...I just...I didn't really mean to...I was so embarrassed I wasn't-"

"Thinking straight?"

You stay quiet, staring at the floor. Jeff's voice was gentle as he spoke.

"...there's no need. I shouldn't have come in unannounced. You simply reacted. No harm done." He flipped to the next page and glared at Smile, who was now sitting a little ways away from you. "But this mongrel knew better."

Smile's ears perked up and his smile seemed to grow. Was he laughing?

Jeff returned to the book with a focused expression on his face. You looked between him and the old pages repeatedly, trying your best not to stare at him. Your eyes swept across his strong jawline and the gentle swoop of his brow, now furrowed as he read. His mouth was set in a firm line, negating any chance of the cuts in his face to smile. But what caught your attention most was the deep color of his eyes. You thought they were black at first, but in the mid day sun, they shone a brilliant deep sapphire color, ringed in the black fringe of his eyelids. You even saw dark eyelashes that cast shadows down the bridge of his nose. His eyes flickered towards yours, and you freeze all over again.

He stared at you for a moment. "...what?'

"...y-you have a lump here..."

"A what?"

"From the alarm clock. It hit you in the face right?"

Jeff brushed his hair from his forehead and gently felt around with the edge of his fingers. "Mm...so there is." He shrugged and returned to his reading.

"Who wrote this...?"

"Eh? Oh, Edgar Allen Poe. It's...kind of on the book cover..."

Jeff nodded slowly, completely entranced by the words. "...he's a dark man. I like it."

You smile a little and relax into the comfortable atmosphere. "He's one of my favorite authors. But my favorite story of his is A Tell Tale Heart."

The boy turned to you in curiosity. "What's that?"

You smile and take the book from his hands, leaning into him so that he could see. The two of you began reading the book in a comfortable silence. Smile eventually padded his way to your side and plopped down next to you. The added weight pushed you into Jeff's body.

Both of you stayed still in the awkwardness until Jeff moved his arm away from you.

"Ah, sorry. Smile kinda just..."

The words died in your throat as Jeff wrapped the same arm around your shoulders, drawing you in closer to his broad chest. You could swear he could feel your heartbeat through your sweater being this close.

He glanced at you and readjusted the book as if nothing happened. "Easier to read this way. That dog won't budge now."

You could only nod as a strange new feeling bubbled in your chest. What is this?

* * *

The sun had fallen behind the clouds long ago. The halls devoid of light. You slept in the bliss of true comfort, one of which you'd never experienced before. There was a soft yet strong sensation, and an overwhelming feeling of warmth surrounded your body. Protection. Safety. Peace. It all moved in time with the rise and fall of your chest. You've never felt such security.

It carried the scent of pine trees and fresh rain, and a subtle human smell hung underneath it. It was seductively pleasant.

You couldn't explain the way it made you feel. All you could do was smile.

You felt a gentle swaying and a weightless descent into a fluffy sensation on your back. There was a light, feathery caress to your cheek and the soft. calming voice of someone nearby. The warmth pulls you back in as you rest, lulling you to sleep as gentle as your mother's distant lullabies.

Except this time, it stayed with you the entire night.


	4. Warmth

**Here we go again |D I just finished 3 big essays and this chapter around 4 in the morning. Because I love you guys 3 **

**Turns out I had a cyst attached to my tailbone that I needed surgery for (it was horrifying XD) and I was put on bed rest for quite a while. But it left me with time to work this one to the bone. Please enjoy this chapter and prepare for shit to get real!**

* * *

_Tap tap!_

_…._

_Tap tap tap!_

"It's open genius!"

There was a bit of muffled shuffling and the sound of your window swinging open.

"What is it with you and windows?" you ask.

You hear a loud thud behind you and the soft patter of footsteps drawing closer to you, but no answer to your question. You turn and see your bay window open wide.

"The hell…? Jeff?" You could've sworn you heard him come in.

You climb onto your bed and close it with a confused look on your face, adjusting the curtains. You shake your head and rub your temples. You were probably imagining it again.

Makes sense; your nerves of steel are total jelly today.

Shrugging, you turn back around only to find a pair of crazed eyes and a huge red grin impossibly close to your face.

"WOAH—HOLY SHIT!" you holler, jolting backwards and banging your head on the windowsill. Jeff, however, clutched his stomach in a fit of laughter. You shot him an angry glare as your massaged the back of your head as he toppled off of your bed.

"I'm going to kill you," you growl. This only made the boy laugh harder and wheeze for air.

Jeff sat himself upright on the floor, wiping tears from his eyes. "Oh come on. Have a sense of humor Lucy," he chuckled.

"You scared the crap out of me you dick!" You toss a pillow at his head. Jeff caught it with both hands and looked at you with his classic trolling grin. You huff and turned away from him to hide your growing smile. It _was _pretty funny.

The boy got to his feet and playfully shoved the pillow on your head. "So where were we headed again?"

"You forgot that quick?"

"'S your idea. Don't blame me."

You sigh and roll off of your bed. "It's Christmas Eve. There's a lightshow going on downtown."

Jeff's eyes wandered to the ceiling. His voice was very soft and melancholic. "Christmas huh…"

"Yep," you answer, shrugging on your black winter coat. "Good thing you came when you did too. It ends at midnight." You pull on a boot and bend down to lace the front when you notice Jeff watching you intently. Your eyes ask him what's wrong.

Jeff blinked and gently tilted his head to the side. "You're nervous."

"What? I'm fine. Why would I be nervous?" you say quickly, hiding your face from him as you continue tying a knot.

"When you get nervous or stressed out, you rush what you're doing. Your speech pattern changes. Even your hair poofs up."

Something about his tone sends you to a familiar but unwelcome place in your memory. The last person you wanted to think of was now in the forefront of your mind. You forgot the reason you were nervous in the first place the minute your walls stood tall in your mind.

No.

Not today.

You purse your lips and stand up straight. Jeff watches you quietly as you zip your coat closed and tug on your gloves.

"I'm not," your voice says devoid of emotion. "That man won't notice I'm gone. He never has in the past…too busy fucking anything that moves." You look him in the eye and offer a half-hearted smile. "He's not important right now though."

Jeff didn't say a word and nodded. He knew all too well what that smile really meant.

The boy stepped onto the ledge of your window and offered his hand to you suddenly. "Let's go."

"Huh? But the door is…?"

"Screw the door."

Jeff pulled you into his arms and held you close, preparing to jump off the ledge. Your stomach somersaulted and you cling to his neck in fright. You were ways away from the ground. Heights were _not_ your cup of tea. The boy looked at you from the side, already anticipating your next words.

"Just trust me alright?" he said.

"T-trust isn't the issue here! I'm just not fond of—"

You both fell forward. Jeff's grip was almost painfully firm on your side, and you clutch his hoodie with much more intensity than before. Wind and snow rushed into your face, but you didn't look away. It was over as soon as it begun. You landed lightly on your feet and Jeff released you, looking you over for good measure. You stumbled a little, but you felt fine, surprising you further.

Jeff chuckled and drew his hand from your waist. "Sorry, what was that?"

"Heights…I'm not fond of heights…" you finish, grabbing your stomach in its tumbling fit and giving him the middle finger. Jeff smiled and started walking down the sidewalk. You run a hand through your hair and take a deep breath of winter air, smiling inwardly.

He may be reckless and missing a healthy sense of danger, but there's no one else you'd trust with your life. Looking in his direction when he calls you snowflake, you jog to his side and gently shove his shoulder.

Both in complaint and gratitude.

* * *

"It's so pretty out here…" you sigh, a small smile on your face.

Jeff didn't reply, but his eyes were bright with child-like wonder underneath his hood.

The two of you wandered around the square, looking at the various light displays in the windows of shops lined along the sidewalk. Not as many people as you expected were outside, either scared away by the cold or the number of children they had to keep watch over. Christmas lights glowed softly under the snow-ridden trees and streetlights, and an infectious serene atmosphere surrounded you, leaving you a bit giddy. The chill was easily lulled by the pleasant feeling you felt in your chest.

Strangely, it seemed to spike every time your eyes met the dark sapphire hues of your companion.

The soft chime of bells rung through the street, signaling the final light show before the countdown to Christmas.

"It's about to start! Let's go find a good spot," you say. Without really thinking, you grab the boy's arm and link yours through his, promptly pulling him along behind you.

Jeff stayed quiet and didn't try to stop you.

You find a pocket of space underneath an evergreen tree decorated with small glowing lights and huddle close together as the crowd began to build. Jeff stayed close and moved behind you, his hand slipping down to hold yours. You glance at his face at pick up on the traces of anxiety in his eyes. You squeeze his hand reassuringly, and Jeff glances at you and intertwines his fingers with yours, obviously very uncomfortable with the growing amount of people.

"It's alright," you whisper to him. "It'll be over soon. I'm right here."

The boy merely nods and lays his chin on your shoulder. "I know."

The lights around you dim and holiday fanfare plays sweetly through the speakers. Every now and then, you turn your eyes to Jeff to see how he was doing. The boy seemed calmer as he listened to the melody of violins and piano music, gently rubbing his thumb over the back of your hand. You watch the gleaming display in front of you and lay your head against his, hoping that the small motion would help. Jeff drew a deep breath and released it slowly, his eyes closed.

"….Christmas was never this nice before," he muttered.

You remain silent and nod slightly, closing your eyes as well.

"I only had bad memories of this holiday…but now…" Jeff rolled his shoulders and leaned his bodyweight into you. "…I don't even have the feeling here…"

You grin at the bright 'Merry Christmas' logo at the end and the sound of cheering. Normally, this sort of thing would make you cringe and the mere thought of it made you uncomfortable. Christmas was all fake, pompous bullshit to you. It had to be at least 20 degrees out right now, but you didn't feel it.

If all the pain you've experienced in the past meant you got to experience this moment, in your mind, it was more than worth it.

_He_ was more than worth it.

You feel something swell within you, a storm of emotion you thought you would never feel as long as you lived. You tense at the new emotion, unconsciously squeezing Jeff's hand tighter. You've never felt something so strongly positive before.

The lights return to their original soft glow and the crowd breaks into a collective cheer.

_"Merry Christmas!" _

Neither of you wanted to move from your spot under the tree. The crowd soon dissipated and the stores began to close, leaving you and the teenage murderer to your lonesome. You reluctantly let go of Jeff's hand and turn to face him.

"How're you holding up?" you ask softly.

Jeff stared at your face for a moment before answering, avoiding your gaze. "…better. The less people the better."

"We should probably go then," you say with a smile. "Stupid people tend to come out at night. I'm surprised we didn't run into anybody drunk."

Jeff nodded and quietly started off down the street, you once again jogging to his side.

* * *

Your house was deathly quiet, save the creaking of the door as you open it. You quickly usher Jeff inside and you lock the door behind you. The boy looked at you quizzically.

"Why am I here right now?" he asked.

"I forgot I had something to give you," you say as you walk up the stairs. You motion for him to follow.

Jeff shrugs and trots up the stairs behind you, relaxing when he enters your room. You take off your coat and toss it on your bed, rushing to a corner behind your bed. Jeff gave you a confused look as you walk back up to him with a pastel green paper bag. You giggle and hold it out to him.

"I don't know how Christmas used to be for you but…here."

Jeff's expression visibly changes to mild shock. "…you got me something?"

You give him a warm smile and take the contents of the bag out for him. "…I didn't know how to thank you for what you did back then. You very well may have saved my life…"

You come closer and wrap the scarf you knitted around his neck, tucking it inside his hoodie and around his neck. Your hands linger on the soft yarn as your eyes water unexpectedly, keeping your gaze downcast. "How do you say thank you to someone who saved your life? How do you stop saying thank you? Especially when nobody sees you as worth saving?"

Jeff stepped closer to you at the sight of your tears. You hang your head and let them fall. It was long overdue.

"I have no idea why you decided to intervene…and really, I don't care about how you did it either. To someone who wanted to die for so long…what you did was…i-it was…" You use the sleeve of your sweater to wipe your tears. "I can't describe it…I can't say thank you enough either…" You raise your head and smile weakly, blinking away your tears. "But I can tell you how grateful I am to have you in my life…and I hope you stay."

Drying your face completely, you laugh at your own emotional state. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be like this. Merry Christmas Jeff."

The boy stared at you with half lidded eyes, their gaze locked on yours. The eye contact made you blush in embarrassment.

"…Lucille."

"Mm?"

Jeff grabbed your shoulder and gently pulled you close as he leaned into you. His lips hovered over yours as he spoke in a soft voice.

"I'm not going anywhere."

A sweet, warm sensation rocketed throughout your body when your lips touched. You lean into the kiss as your eyes flutter closed, losing yourself in his touch, and curl your arms around his neck. Jeff hugs you close with one hand, cupping the back of your head with the other, and kisses you with more emotion than before, his face becoming rosier in hue. You tentatively run your fingers through his hair and earn a quiet gasp from the boy, trembling from the exchange. He pulls away and rests his forehead on yours, keeping his eyes closed and his breathing steady.

After moments of holding each other close, Jeff pecks your mouth once more and gently detangles your hands from his hair, smiling at you. You look up at him with a flustered expression and blush further, making the boy chuckle in your ear. He pulls you into a soft embrace, and you instantly relax in his arms.

"Merry Christmas Lucille," he says in your hair. You tighten your hold on him and bury your bright red face into his chest.

The boy releases you and looks at you with a new light in his eyes. "I have to go now. Expect me in three days," he says while crossing over to your open window once more.

You blink in confusion. "What's happening in three days?"

Jeff looks back at you and smiles softly. "Your birthday, remember?"

"…oh…okay…" You look down and smile shyly. Your own father didn't remember your birthday. It felt strange hearing it brought up by someone else. "But won't you be cold out there with just your sweater?"

Jeff brought a hand up to his chest and tugged the dark blue scarf up around his face, his eyes smiling at you. "I'll be fine from now on."

You nod and smile sweetly, the emotions from earlier welling up in your chest again. The boy vanished from your windowsill and continued off down the sidewalk as you latched your window closed. You touch your fingertips to your lips and shudder from the way they pulsated with the memory of his gentle kiss. Drawing your arms around you, you sit still on the edge of your bed and allow the flittering in your chest to continue for as long as it possibly could. You knew for certain now what this new emotion was.

Your question has been answered.


	5. Sweater Weather

Something odd was happening in the mansion.

Something Slenderman neither knew of nor understood.

The ethereal silently sipped his morning coffee as he read, his brow crumpled together in thought. He wasn't accustomed to dealing with teenagers and their strange hormonal changes. Jeff started to disappear more often, which wasn't entirely unusual; he knew well enough that he had to satisfy his murderous cravings. But what stuck out the most was the lack of blood Jeff came back home with. A few days ago the boy even returned with a scarf, his face flushed a bright red color. It may have been from being out in the cold for so long, but when questions about the scarf started to fly, Jeff's cheeks reddened further and he stormed upstairs to his room. Slenderman sighed internally. The matter gave him a headache. With another sip, he leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, deciding that he'll relax for now. Whatever it was, it would pass on like a phase.

Jeff, however, was on pins and needles.

The sun shone brightly in Jeff's room as he hurried about, Smile watching him lazily. He double checked and triple checked the items in his bag and made another sweep of his room just to be sure. Today had to be _perfect_. No exceptions. Zipping his bag, Jeff turned to his beloved companion.

"Let's hit it," he said with a wide grin. Smile woofed and got to his feet, sporting the red bandana around his neck with a pleased expression.

Jeff went to the mirror for the twelfth time and ran a hand through his hair self-consciously, making sure the fluff would stay put. It was strange. He'd never cared how other people saw him until now. Jeff chuckled and shook his head.

Lucille really was a strange girl.

Remembering his final task, Jeff walked to Ben's room and rapped on the door impatiently. There was shuffling and a loud thud on the ground, but the door finally swung open. Ben blinked in surprise and tilted his head, his elven ears poking out from under his blond hair.

"This is weird," he said bluntly.

Jeff dug into his pocket and handed him a box and a few broken computer chips. "Can you sync those together?"

Ben looked over the contents in his hand, the gears turning in his eyes already. "Do I need to ask why you're doing this? I mean, you already have one of these. I'm lost here." He glanced up at Jeff with a smirk. "Got something to do with the scarf?"

Jeff huffed and turned away, fighting the blush threatening to appear on his face. "Will you just fix it already?" Ben laughed a little to himself and laid the box on the bed. "I got it bro. It'll be a few minutes."

Jeff nodded and sat down in the doorway, holding Smile's head in his hands. Ben hummed as he worked, his delicate fingers waving over the bright lights between them. He glanced at his best friend and then the scarf around his neck. There was a soft expression in his dark eyes, one that only surfaced when he lowered his face in the wool. Ben smiled and closed the top of the box, turning to Jeff.

He knew what it meant.

"Hang on one sec, okay?"

Ben walked to the other side of his room, leaving Jeff leaning awkwardly in the doorsill. The ghost returned and tied a red ribbon around it, knotting a quaint bow in the center. Jeff looked at Ben with wide eyes and pursed his lips. Ben nudged Jeff with his elbow and smiled his trademark toothy grin.

"Go get 'er tiger," he jested.

Jeff scowled as his face flushed a light pink. "Shut up," he growled. Ben only laughed and started to push the boy out of his room.

"Try to come back home tonight, yeah? Don't get too crazy."

"What, like your perverted ass?"

"You know it."

Jeff slid the box into his pocket and glanced back at Ben with a slight grin. This is what he loved most about the ghost. Jeff was never god with words, but Ben seemed to know exactly what the problem was. It was this quality about him that drew them together in the first place. He understood everything without having to say a word. He just knew. Ben chuckled and waved at him before going back into his room. Smile ran down the stairs towards the front door, yipping that Jeff follow him.

The boy took a deep breath and trotted downstairs, a smile growing with the giddy feeling building in his chest. He took energized steps out the door despite him not sleeping a wink the night before. It was obvious what was truly on his mind.

* * *

You swung the arches of your bay window wide open and hang over the sill, drawing a deep breath of fresh winter air. The snow gleamed beautifully with the light of the sun, clinging to the evergreen trees that lined the streets. Birds sung faintly in the distance and the world around you became all the more surreal. Were things always this beautiful?

"Sup snowflake," you hear.

You glanced down and beam a smile. "Morning!" you called cheerfully.

Smile barked and wagged his tail furiously as he greeted you at the door of your house. You open the door and get down on your knees, hugging the canine around his neck. "Good morning Smile," you giggle. You scratch at the spot behind his left ear and pet his back, marveling at how normal the dog looked this time. Instead of the demonic grin and shaggy hair, Smile looked just like a regular husky. His fur was soft and very shiny, and you could smell the shampoo off of his coat.

"Is that vanilla?" you ask. Smile woofed and nudged your head with his nose.

"You look happy," Jeff said softly.

You look up from your spot on the floor and stare unintentionally. There was a softness to his expression that literally made your heart thunder in your chest. Even Smile's ears perked up in response. Catching yourself at the last minute, you smile at him and get to your feet.

"Observant as always," you giggle nervously, brushing Smile's hair off of your pants.

Jeff smiled and dipped his head into his scarf as he laughed, a new habit he developed since that night. A warm feeling spread in your chest at the sight. It was unbearably cute.

"What's that smell? Cinnamon?" he said suddenly. You nodded proudly.

"I made pancakes this morning. They go pretty damn fast," you said.

Jeff sputtered a laugh and bit his lip, thoroughly amused. "You mean you were a total fatass and ate them all."

You stick your tongue out at him. "You're just butthurt that you couldn't have any. I'm a boss at cooking."

"I'm what?"

"Butthurt."

"What the hell does that even mean?"

You opened your mouth to answer when all three of you jumped at the loud thud from upstairs. You frowned unconsciously at the groans and slurred cursing that follow, an expression Jeff caught almost immediately. He raised an eyebrow that asked one word.

"_Dad?"_

You rolled your eyes and he nodded.

"C'mon. Grab a coat. You're coming with me today."

"Good. I'm already ready to go."

You zipped your dark blue winter coat and fastened the belt around your waist, wasting no time to pull on your gloves. Jeff blinked and slowly put his hands in his pocket, seeming to stare at you this time. You fixed the fur-coated hood and looked up to see his eyes flicker away from your mouth. You quickly turned your eyes away and bit your lower lip, faintly blushing yourself. You felt Smile lean against your legs and you stumbled forward. Jeff reached out to steady you, but froze suddenly. You looked at him quizzically.

"You okay weirdo?"

Jeff stared your face for a moment before coughing roughly into his shoulder and turning away from you, the tips of his ears turning red.

"Who you callin' weird…" he grumbled.

You sighed and knocked into his shoulder as you walked out the door. "Wherever we're going, let's get going."

Jeff sniffed and closed the door behind him, nervously fumbling with the box in his pocket.

Being around you proved to be much harder than he thought.

* * *

"Eyes closed. No peeking."

"Jeff, you're covering half of my face. I can't see shit."

A laugh. A pleased sigh. A dog bark.

"How much more of this? I can't take you stepping on the back of my shoes every five seconds."

"Relax, we're almost there."

You fumbled over a rock and tilt backwards, squeaking. Jeff laughed in your ear as he held you from behind.

"We're here."

Your eyes opened gradually from the blinding light and come to focus on the sparkling icicles above you. Jeff released his grip on you and watched you take small steps in front of him. He couldn't stop smiling at how wonder-eyed you were, twirling in circles with the biggest smile he's ever seen on your face.

The two of you wandered into the forest ankle-deep in snow, the entire area frozen in its beauty. The sun began to set and reflected its warm light off of every inch of ice and snow, bathing you in a gentle orange hue. A soft breeze carried the scent of pine trees and wood, and you inhaled with your eyes closed. The atmosphere wrapped you in a feeling of safety, as if the forest was another place to call home. It was truly a nice place to be. You turned to Jeff with a genuine smile.

Jeff, once again, stood directly in the middle of the sun's pathway, the outline of his body illuminated in an otherworldly glow. He smiled gently when his eyes met yours and walked toward you. You blushed a little and looked away from him, squeezing your hands together.

"So?"

You exhaled happily and looked back at him. "This place is…how did you know this was here?"

He shrugged with a smirk. "I come out here sometimes. Calms the nerves, soothes the soul."

You gave him a warm smile and tackled him playfully, tucking your arms underneath his. "Thanks for bringing me here. It's beautiful…"

Jeff blinked repeatedly and swallowed hard, not bothering to try and fight the blush on his face. "'S no big deal really…" he said. The boy cautiously wrapped an arm around your shoulders and muttered a 'you're welcome' in your hair.

You pulled away with a mischievous glint in your snowy irises. That instantly made Jeff all the more nervous and his blush worsened. You bend down and gather snow in your hands.

"What are you…?"

"Snowball fight!" You promptly threw the ball of snow at the boy.

Jeff dodged it with ease, but also went to making his own snowball and threw it at you with surprising speed. It hit you dead in your face and he doubled over in laughter, clutching his stomach. You shook your head and huffed audibly, balling more snow in your hands with a dangerous glare. Jeff flinched.

"You're dead!"

"Shit—Smile! Come!"

Jeff took off running with the dog and you chase him, easily matching his speed as he wound through the trees. You both went back and forth between the trees, pelting each other with snowballs that soon became any clump of snow you could find. You started chasing Smile around as well while Jeff tried to hit you with snow. In that moment, you were the embodiment of pure joy.

Smile crossed in front of your legs as you were running forward. Jeff happened to be in front of you as you run straight into him, sending you both rolling down a hill. Jeff swore and you laughed besides yourself, letting yourself fall with the motion of the snow. You landed with a soft thud, giggling and exhausted, barely noticing the gentle weight on your chest.

"Sorry man. Smile keeps doing stuff that nearly kills me I swear," you said, reaching up to wipe snow from your eyes. Drawing your hand away, you suddenly stopped your laughter. Jeff didn't dare move. Neither of you dared to breathe.

Time stood still as you looked at each other's faces with a few inches between you two.

This was the first time you had a chance to really see Jeff's face clearly. Your eyes wandered over his features, undeterred by the look of his skin or scars. His eyes take you in, and your breath hitched in response. God was he beautiful.

"…you have really nice eyes…" you said softly. Jeff looked away from you in embarrassment and stayed quiet. Your gaze fell on the scars on his cheeks and you timidly raised a hand to his face.

"May I?"

Jeff glanced at your gloved hand and back to the snow beside him, giving you a slight nod in response. You pulled your glove off with your teeth and gently trace the outline of the slit in face with your thumb. Jeff's eyes closed and he leaned into your touch slightly.

"…I thought they freaked you out," he murmured.

"Freaked me out? Why would they?" You cupped his cheek and soothingly stroked the outline of the scar.

"People tend to be whenever they see it. But you just looked at 'em like they're the most normal thing in the world to you. You didn't even flinch."

You smile and turn his head to face you with both hands. Jeff's eyes were locked on yours.

"I don't think anything of them really. Everyone has scars on them, ones that show and ones that don't. They're a part of you, and I like you. The scars are part of the package."

Jeff's face suddenly turned bright red, even to the tips of his ears. The boy launched himself off of you and scooted backwards. "Y-you…you what?!"

"Eh? What's the matter with you?" you asked, sitting up. He was being weirder than usual.

"You just—I'm your—fuck!" Jeff covered his face with his hands and looked away.

It was your turn to red. "Huh…? No, Jeff, I didn't mean it like that you moron!"

"You're confusing me woman!"

"Has nobody ever told you they like you as a friend?"

"No! Of course not!"

You sighed and stood up, walking further into the forest to hide your red face. Too low for him to hear, you muttered, "….you didn't have to freak out like that dumbass."

Jeff watched you walk off and mentally kicked himself for jumping to conclusions. Why'd it have to be _that_ conclusion anyway? The aim for today wasn't to piss you off, but hearing those three words out of the blue set him off. He got to his feet and trotted after you.

"Lucy, can you hang on for just a second?"

Jeff pulled out a box tied by a red ribbon. You stare wide-eyed at him. The boy placed it in your hands and waited for you to open it. With hesitation, you untied the bow and pried it open. The contents inside made your breathing stop short.

You looked up at Jeff with wide eyes, clutching the box with shaking hands.

"Go on…try it out," Jeff urged.

You fumbled with the earbuds and pushed one into your ear. You scroll through the long list of familiar songs and search solely for one in particular. You closed your eyes and covered your mouth with one hand when it began to play. The boy watched closely, stiff with waiting to hear your approval. After a moment, you look up at him with teary eyes and urge him to take the other earbud. He stepped closer to you and bent down slightly to your level, popping the earbud in as well.

The Neighborhood's "Sweater Weather" began to play sweetly in his ear.

You sniffled quietly and wiped at your eyes. Somehow…somehow Jeff managed to replace your beloved iPod with the songs that were once there. He returned your tiny piece of heaven, and you couldn't begin to describe the heavy feeling in your chest. Jeff looked at your face with a concerned expression, and you shook your head as you smiled. It wasn't sadness you felt.

Not even close.

Unable to vocalize your feelings, you curled your arms around his neck and held him close, muttering thank you repeatedly in his ear. Jeff hesitantly wrapped his arms around your waist and tucked his chin in the crook of your shoulder, smiling from ear to ear.

"So I take it you like the gift?" he said jokingly. You snorted and squeezed him tighter. With a pat to your back, he murmured a soft 'happy birthday'.

You swallowed hard and pull away from him slightly, keeping your eyes on the ground in thought. There was still so much you wanted to express to him, yet you were never the best with words. Something was missing. As Jeff pet your hair and the song continued to play, your answer was sung directly into both of your ears.

Your hands slipped from the back of his neck and stopped at the scarf wound around him. You pursed your lips for a moment before lightly pulling Jeff closer to you. The boy stopped his jesting long enough to notice the motion. Still talking, it was much too late for him to realize what you were going to do.

With a hesitant breath, you stood on the tips of your toes and gently placed your lips on his.

Jeff's hold around your waist suddenly became tight and rigid. You kept your movements as soft as possible, though they only lasted for a few seconds. Too embarrassed to look him in the eyes, you lowered yourself back down on your feet and leaned against him. Your mind raced with a sudden wave of doubt and regret until you felt Jeff tenderly tug your face up by your chin to meet his. As flustered and nervous as you were, you didn't resist him.

This was the most serious you've seen him since that night in your room. His eyes were intense, seeming to search for something in yours. You blushed harder from the direct eye contact, but managed to maintain it long enough for him to find whatever he was looking for.

Jeff wordlessly brought his mouth to meet yours again, softly cupping your cheek in the process.

It's rather difficult to describe what you were feeling at that moment. Your pace quickened and your body grew degrees hotter than before. A tingling sensation ran down your spine with each soft kiss, with each gentle caress on your back that pulled you two closer together. You couldn't feel the deep winter chill of the afternoon, nor the subtle warmth of the setting sun behind you. The feel of cotton and wool faded from your fingertips. The slight ache from standing on your feet for too long became non-existent.

The intimate glance you shared after he pulled away and the shaky breathing that followed was all you knew.

Jeff closed his eyes and touched his forehead to yours, intertwining his fingers with yours in the small space between you. You gently squeeze his hands and follow suit, listening the final pieces of the song. It was so peaceful that Jeff's barely audible voice roused you from your state.

"…stay with me," he whispered.

"…? Jeff?"

"…please…I only want you by my side…it can only be you…"

His voice quivered and almost sounded pained. You silently agreed by tilting your head to one side and kissing him once more before laying your head in the crook of his neck. Jeff reached around you and held you there with one hand, pressing his lips into your hair.

You knew the pain he felt right then. It may be from a distant memory, but you understood the ache of being alone, how badly it tore at the heart when you witnessed others together yet you remained isolated and alone. With a sudden urgency, you place your hand over where his heart would be; you knew for certain how you felt about your kindred soul.

You ignored the ominous feeling creeping at the back of your mind.

All you could focus on was the furious heartbeat of the one you adored most.

* * *

**Has anyone ever listened to the song mentioned in the chapter? I recommend the cover version performed by Max and Alyson Stoner (available on youtube) Try listening to it and rereading the last scene. Pure magic, I promise ^^**


End file.
